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Thursday, February 2, 2017

Kind Words

Last year I saw this sweet little tradition shared on Facebook and immediately knew I wanted to start it with my kids. Every night of February leading up to Valentine's Day Dave or I will write the kids a sweet little note on a heart and tape it to their door for them to read in the morning. Something that we're proud of, something that we love about them... just a few kind words for them to read in the morning.

Over the two weeks their doors will fill up with the affirmations and I'm hoping that the love spreads and they want to write each other little notes as well.

I feel like things have been SO NEGATIVE lately and I've heard and seen more unkindness spoken in this past month than I care to (Facebook... I'm talking to you!) I'm hoping that this little gesture will kind of refocus my thoughts at the end of the day onto things that I am thankful for and those that I love.

I'm leaving notes for Dave as well and have 14 note cards set out on my desk to send some kind words via snail mail to friends every day as well. I know how much an unprompted kind word can mean to me when I receive it and I'm looking forward to sharing some of that with the people I love!

Outside of my family my plans include words of kindness on students graded papers (about THEM and not necessarily their papers), positive emails sent home to parents (because how awesome are those to get!?!?), a quick comment or two on someone's social media instead of just a like and taking the time to turn the polite smile I typically give the person ahead of or behind me in line into a compliment or just even a hello. It might not make a bit of difference in that person's day OR it might be the little bit of kindness that turns their morning around. Who knows!!!

Do you have any fun traditions for Valentine's Day or leading up to Valentine's Day? I'd love to hear!

40 comments
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How awesome is this idea!! I hope it spreads like wildfire!! I may just have to start the hearts tonight! I can just add a few extra to their doors to catch up!! I love getting snail mail so I know whoever you send cards to will love! A positive email from a teacher is always amazing!! Love your sweet heart and kindness! Have a great day!

I am TOTALLY going to do this as well! I LOVE this holiday! We give handwritten Valentine's to our 3 teenagers. Valentine traditions include Heart Waffles for dinner on Valentine's night, complete with strawberries and whipped cream!

First off, I love following you and your sweet friends blogs... I can so relate! We do something similar too! I just posted about it our family blog @http://thehumbleabode.blogspot.com!I love that you extend it beyond the walls of your home... we will have to do this! Kind words make all the difference.

Lovely idea and what a blessing this is to those who receive your notes. We have a tradition in our family called FAMILY VALENTINES. It has evolved now that we have grandkids but when our kids were younger I would make their favorite dinner and a "pink heart shaped cake" (glorified box cake with canned frosting!) We always gave gifts and as they got older we often invited family friends to FV dinner as well. We are known far and wide for our celebration and it warms my heart that the kids and grandsons appreciate it and look forward to it as much as they do! Wonderful memories for all of us!

We do something we've named Project I Love You Because. =) Every member of the family writes every other member of the family 4-5 "I love you because..." notes on little color coded construction paper hearts. Each member has the same amount of hearts and each member has their very own color... so when you're ready to write to a certain member you grab one of their colored hearts (which we leave out on the counter in little stacks) and write one of the reasons you love them. We put them in a jar as we do it (usually the week leading up to Valentine's) and on Valentine's night we read them all around the table. Our love tanks are so full afterwards!!

You have the sweetest heart. What a great thing to do. I agree with the social media thing the last two months. I just stopped even logging on. It was constantly negative. So sad that friends and family can go at it over stupid political views. Wish everyone was as kind as you. Keep up the great work on your blog. I just love it!

For the past couple of Valentine's days, I have written things I love about my husband on pink Post It's and then posted them on the inside door of his medicine cabinet in a heart shape (we have ones that are built into our bathroom walls, and each have one on each side of our bathroom sink) so that everyone morning when he opens it, he sees those. (And because they're hidden, he doesn't feel like he has to take it down quickly.) Love the idea of writing notes to friends - such a great idea!

I smiled when I saw the jpeg image and the title of this post because my newborn son and I did this for our hardworking hubby/daddy yesterday afternoon. I had also seen this idea on facebook for kids, but life with a newborn is the greatest joy I've ever experienced, yet I wanted to make sure to keep the spark alive and validate my husband while I tend to these days be all about our son. I was surprised by his reaction when he got home yesterday and saw the first one on our bedroom door. I made a heart for the top of the door that said, "14 reasons (of the many) that we love daddy..." , and at the bottom of the door, made an additional heart that said "Love Heather and Ewan." My husband cheesed so hard, his face turned red, and he teared up! Did not know I would get that kind of reaction or that he needed to hear it.

I love this! Especially that you think of your students too. I have a teenage daughter who received an encouraging note last year from a teacher and it really touched her. :) Definitely what we need more of in this world!

We are doing the hearts on the door too except we are taking turns doing them for each other. I loooove seeing the ones the kids make for each other especially when they write it all by themselves. Their doors are my favourite to look at right now